#3 Virginia cools off streaking NC State, wins 68-51

AFP

1 month ago

Third-ranked Virginia seized control early en route to posting a 68-51 win over NC State on Sunday. The ‘Hoos (16-1, 5-0 ACC) led 10-2 six minutes in and were up as much as 16 in the first half before State (12-6, 2-3 ACC) rallied to cut the margin to 30-20 at the half.

Virginia opened up a 45-25 on a Devon Hall three-pointer with 12:13 left, but State had one last run, getting as close as 11 on a Lavar Batts layup with 8:05 left.

UVA took control from there as it did all night, with defense. The Pack had come in off back-to-back wins over then-#2 Duke and #19 Clemson, averaging 87 points per game over that stretch, but could get nothing going Sunday night, shooting 41.1 percent from the floor and connecting on just 2-of-16 from three-point range.

Sophomore forward Omer Yurtseven, who had averaged 22.5 points per game in the wins over Duke and Clemson, had six points on 3-of-8 shooting in 25 minutes.

Hall had a cooly efficient 25 points to lead Virginia, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor, 4-of-5 from three-point range and 7-of-7 at the free-throw line.

Kyle Guy added 17, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-6 from three-point range.

Virginia shot 56.1 percent from the floor for the game (23-of-41) and was 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) from three-point range.

UVA Team Notes

Virginia (16-1, 5-0 ACC) extended its winning streak to eight games

Virginia is now 11-0 in its last 11 regular-season games against NC State and has an eight-game winning streak against the Wolfpack at John Paul Jones Arena

UVA is 5-0 in ACC play for the first time since going 7-0 in 2014-15

Virginia has held 14 opponents to 60 or fewer points

UVA has held 14 opponents to under 43 percent shooting and all 17 opponents to under 50 percent (NC State – 41.1%)

Virginia is 45-4 at JPJ in ACC play in the last six seasons

The Cavaliers improved to 12-0 at John Paul Jones Arena in the midst of a 14-game home-winning streak

Virginia held NC State to a season-low 20 first-half points, previous was 23 vs. Tennessee

The Cavaliers have held their opponents to 29 or fewer first half points in all but one game and 20 or fewer four times

Virginia held the Wolfpack scoreless for the first3:11of the second half and limited NC State to just one field goal for the first 6:30 of the second half